Munro - the first-five who converted

Lachie Munro relies on his confidence. Marty Melville / Getty Images

Had his inclinations taken him in other directions, Lachie Munro could have been with the Black Sticks at hockey's World Cup in Germany this week.

Or he could have been working his way through the labyrinthine ways of Major League baseball.

Instead, rugby took hold at a relatively advanced stage in his teenage years and tomorrow night he will run onto Eden Park with No 10 on his back for his debut start to steer Auckland against Waikato in the Air New Zealand Cup.

In many respects, Munro is a classic late rugby bloomer. Hockey was his early bug. He began playing it at 10 and was good enough to trial for the New Zealand under-18 team in his last year at Auckland Grammar.

By then, he had physically developed sufficiently to give rugby a crack so he played both, and his rugby was good enough to have him in the first XV.

But he had time for only half a dozen games at fullback before heading off to a baseball camp in Australia from which the Major League clubs looked to snare rising talent.

Munro was a second baseman. How promising was he? The only other New Zealander there was Scott Campbell, who signed a contract with the Toronto Blue Jays in June.

In his final year at Grammar he had a full season, still at fullback. Indeed, it was not until Auckland's pre-season Pacific Islands tour this year that Munro was tried out at first five-eighth.

Does he still take an interest in baseball?

"It was always good to play, but it's a long game to watch. A bit like cricket," 19-year-old Munro said.

His late development meant he made no age groups. No national secondary schools or Colts for him.

Tomorrow night, he'll line up against Willie Ripia, Waikato's promising back, who gets a chance because of Stephen Donald's one-game ban.

Ripia was in the New Zealand Colts this year, so Munro, who admits to plenty of self-confidence, is relishing the challenge.

"I went to the Colts trials this year, playing fullback, and didn't make the last trial.

"I was a bit gutted at the time, but I was able to get over it by making this team. I've achieved more goals than I'd set and this is a great chance to play against him and see if I really deserve to be there."

Munro played the second half against Manawatu in round one, after Tasesa Lavea injured a hamstring. He scored a fine try, courtesy of a chip and regather. But backing his ability has its downsides.

"I got in a bit of trouble with that one from [Auckland coach] Pat Lam on the Monday. I tried it once and thought great. I tried it a couple of other times and it wasn't so good."

Then take sevens rugby, for which Munro was chosen for the Hong Kong and Singapore events this year. Chips have their place - in the changing room.

"I used to get nightmares in sevens from Titch [national coach Gordon Tietjens]. Titch hates little chips, but that's what I do. It's instinct."

He's a young man whose self-confidence is an important part of his game.

"I definitely like to back myself. Sometimes you get in trouble, but sometimes it can really help as well, as it did at Manawatu. Hopefully I can find a balance between playing structures and having a go when it's on for me."

Against Bay of Plenty, in one of his other couple of 20-minute stints off the bench, he helped set up one of David Smith's pair of tries.

Munro has had to re-evaluate his goals this year.

"At the start I was hoping to make the squad. Then I got in and realised I had a chance."

Tomorrow night his progress takes another sizeable step forward.

Lam rates Munro and even though he might not have got a start had Lavea been fit, the coach is confident he'll do the job and has no qualms about his talent.

"It's a big game for him, but the only way you're going to find out is to put him up," Lam said. "But we certainly back him and believe he's up to it."

* Depending on the final fitness shakedown, Auckland's backline tomorrow night could include five Grammar old boys: Ben Atiga, Jamie Helleur, David Smith, Brent Ward and Benson Stanley.